Life of Byrant looking up with record Tour win
Okay, so it was a blatant attempt to get some TV time, because the letters A-B-C were highlighted. Still, it showed just how far Bryant has come.
He's got groupies.
"There was a group of young guys looked like they're late high school or early college who just started rooting for him," Cathy Bryant said.
"They were really whooping it up." Well, here's a guy worth celebrating.
After years of bouncing between Q-school and mini-tours, after surgery on both elbows, after being told by a doctor it was time to find another line of work, the 42-year-old is experiencing a life he never dreamed possible.
During a Sunday stroll at East Lake, he finished off a six-stroke victory over the world's greatest golfer and left the rest of the field further behind.
Not bad for a player who once set the goal of being a consistent top-100 finisher on the PGA Tour.
"Well, this certainly exceeded my expectations," Bryant said.
"I'm just as surprised as you are."
It would have been easy for him to walk away. There were plenty of chances. He made it through qualifying school five or six times, but isn't sure how many times he fell short.
"I missed a lot, too," Bryant said.
"I know I've been there a bunch."
Then there was the year he settled for life on the lowest rung of the professional ladder.
"I wanted to be home with my family. My game wasn't all that great," Bryant said. "I decided to play the mini-tours and see if I could make a living. If I didn't make a living on the mini-tours, I probably would have packed it in."
The next year, Bryant went back to Q-school, made the grade and began the process of gaining the confidence to compete with the world's best. He felt his game was suited to the PGA Tour, but the mental edge was longer in coming.
"Every week, I feel more like I belong. I don't put myself in the same class with Retief Goosen, Vijay Singh, Davis Love or Tiger Woods. But I have found if I'm at the top of my game and in the right conditions, I can compete with those guys."
But the Texas native didn't just compete at his first Tour Championship.
His victory began with a record 62 on Thursday and finished with a tap-in par for a 67 on Sunday.
His 17-under 263 was the lowest in Tour Championship history and the $1.17m cheque was more than he earned his first 18 years on the PGA and Nationwide tours. So, what's next for Bryant? Well, he's headed for surgery today to clean up a left knee that's been bothering him all year.
"Just feels like the thing to do," Bryant quipped.
"I haven't had surgery in a while."
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